Last week I mentioned Loudsiren.com and their Identity theft protection services recently and I wanted to into a little more detail today what identity theft is and ways to avoid it.  Identity theft is considered fraud, which is a serious crime. This happens when a person or group steals your personal information and uses it with out your permission or knowledge. Often it is used to get loans, credit cards, cars, or even jobs.  It can wreck your credit and your reputation and is difficult to track down and prosecute. 

You want to deter potential thieves by taking steps to protect yourself. Get a shredder and run all financial documents and paperwork with personal information before you throw them in the trash. Do not give out personal information on the phone or on the internet unless you fully have investigated who you are dealing with.  Be careful of clicking on links sent in unsolicited emails because these can lead you to sites that have viruses on them.  Speaking of viruses, make sure you run anti-virus software on your computer often.   Safeguard your personal information at home in case of a break-in, or if you have work being done on your home, have roommates or employ outside help for childcare or housekeeping services. 

Every single year, millions of people around the globe experience identity theft. One way you can protect yourself is through setting up a system to detect suspicious activity.  Loudsiren has a great service for this because they contact you by phone and get your permission through a special coding system that you set up with them each time there is an inquiry about getting credit in your name. 

If you haven't asked for any new credit you indicate this by phone and the transaction is stopped.  You can even report a fraudulent credit request immediately to law enforcement by pushing a button.  Making a report as soon as you suspect a problem is the quickest way to stop identity theft.  Right now Loudsiren has a $10 off signup incentive going, so get signed up today.